The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-07-08
NO. As.
Ice nv LIBERIA.
A Dismal Account of the African Negro
Commonwealth

A Dismal Account of the African Negro
Commonwealth.
Dr. Ralph w. Perry, whose recent
return from Liberia has been noted, IS
still bleached, as the result of his long
wrestle with African or coast fever, but
he is gradually recovering his former
vioor. He has a rich and varied ex-
perience on the African coast, and
nothing will win him back. He went
out in the employ of the Episcopal
| Mission Board, to be in charge Of the
/ hospital, and of the two who accom-
panied him one died with the coast
/ fever within three weeks after arrival,
while the other was driven insane from
a similar cause. Monrovia is the capi-
tai of Liberia, being named in honor
! of President Monroe, of this country.
and it is a town of about five thousand
| people, of which number eleven are
| white and the remainder of mixed
blood, but largely native. The busi-
ness of the town is in the hands OF less
than one hundred persons, and the re-
mainder of its population lives on
them. Common labor is poorly re-
munerated. There is no plantation
work, save in the coffee picking season,
and the negroes who were exported
from the South some years ago lead
shiftless and forlorn lives, not much
improved upon the native black. There
is no money, and in payment of what
ever labor there is to do the laborer is
compelled to take out the price in what
: ever is offered him. Flour, costing "a
, a barrel in New York, retails at $40 per
barrel; muslin of ordinary quality 20
: cents per yard, milk the same price per
| pint, and small pints, at that; and
8 every thing else in proportion. The
1 steamship interests are controlled by
Belgium and German firms, and the
4 agents that are sent to Liberia TO look
after their commercial affairs are un-
a der contract to remain three years. but
h few last that long. No white man es-
n capes an attack of African fever. 1t
4 seized Perry after he had been there
a but a short time, but thanks to a sturdy
Il constitution he was able to fight off the
n first attack, and a second and third
% but it kept returning every month Oh
= two. until it finally wore him out. It's
symptoms are very much like the ordi'
q nary yellow fever OF the South but
g unlike the yellow fever, the fact tha
i a man has it once is no guarantee tha
he is not liable to continued attacks o.
=, it, The mission at Monrovia il
"a in charge of Rev. Mr.. Ferguson
e who is not only a missiOnar,
- but also the bishop, and he ha
II some twenty assistants, who are sta
toned at Monrovia and other points
The mission was established in 1882
G and it is maintained at about yearl
= cost of $40, 600, and DR.. Perry doubt
if the conversions to date exceed DOC
- It is not pleasant country in which
- live, even for native, and whit
" man migrating to its inhospitabl
ea shore, although the doctor didn't sa
~ this in as many words, might as we
leave all hope behind. Bishop Eel
n guson is a colored man, and this nc
counts for his tenacity of life. IheI
are two seasons of the year, dry an
wet, but Perry failed TO note much di
W. ference between the wet and dry M
Pc less it was that in the wet season
me rained day and night, while in the dr
es' il rained only at night. The wet SCI
-he son is the healthiest, because it is IL
me coolest, and the temperature durin
Oh the day ranges from 60 to 120 degree
ley Only once during his stay of te
> months, however, did it drop TO 90 d
the gress, and then it felt cold enough
Ceu don hannels and overcoat. The tr
going and coming from New York
'al' made by sailing vessels, and usual
or occupies forty-fve days each way.
ey. T,7It0qlOqO We9eS